oaringSThe July 14th Second Tuesday event markedanother milestone for Westcott Lakesmembers, guests and friends when the Rirst LowCountry Shrimp Boil washosted at the WelcomeCenter at SouthWood. And,by golly, it was mouthwatering good!Don Adams, Presidentand CEO of Kelly Tours, Inc.,was the chef as well asprime time speaker to one ofthe largest and mostenthusiastic groups wehave had for a SecondTuesday. Don shared information about KellyTours, Inc. and the wonderful upcomingovernight motor coach trip to Callaway Gardens,December 1-2, 2009, that is planned for WestcottLakes members, friends and guests. Thisovernight trip will include the beautiful FantasyinLights.We alsolearnedofnumer-ousother

tours available through Kelly Tours.June Alford, Assistant Chair of the SocialCommittee and Chair of Events & Travel, isserving as the primary contactfor those looking forward tothe fun and excitement of thetrip to Callaway Gardens andshares the followinginformation:Please join us for thisChristmas time Holiday Tourto West Georgia’s CallawayGardens for the annualFantasy in Lightscelebration. Millions oflights adorn the garden drive, creating a winterwonderland with sights such as the “SnowRlakeValley”, the “March of the Toy Soldiers” and abeautiful Nativity Scene located along the lake-side. Also featured in this two day trip is a visit toFDR’s Little White House in Warm Springs,superioraccommo-dations andservice attheCallawayInn, and avisit to Call-away Gar-

© Westcott Lakes®, August 2009

Socially SpeakingVolume 1, Issue 10; August 2009

Dr. “Fancy” Funk and June Alford

Members and Guests enjoying a wonderful meal

Barbara and Dr. Gary Stilwell Dessert, anyone?

FOR ALL LIFE CAN BE

Ihave the privilege in thismonth’s column to whet yourappetite to hear about somenew and innovative ways thatthe vision of the Westcott LakesEagles will be brought to life!Over the past few months, theBoard of Directors andPRAXEIS® have been workingdiligently strategizing the nextsteps for implementing thePhased Development Plan thatwas introduced toward the endof 2008. By the Rirst of nextmonth, those strategies will beready to unveil, and we lookforward to obtaining yourinput in two group meetings

just after the Labor Dayholiday.I am encouraged by thestrategic thinking of our Boardand PRAXEIS and I know youwill be too. The outcome is adirect result of listening to you– our members – and thefriends you’ve brought along asprospects to introduce to theconcept of pre-planning forlong-term health needs. Noone knows better than you thatthese are extremely challengingtimes to bring even the greatestof concepts from vision toreality. You have shared thechallenges you’ve faced intrying to encourage others tothink ahead. With thatknowledge, we have incorpo-rated your experience and oursinto some new offerings thatwe’re conRident will make theheart of Westcott Lakesavailable to a much largersegment of the population.We’re all aware of howconsumer conRidence – or lackthereof – is a prime indicator ofour country’s economic health,but this phenomenon affectsour personal health as well.

This lack of conRidence is alsotranslated into our decisions –or lack thereof – as consumersof personal health careservices. Many people applyprinciples of pulling back ontheir spending when it comesto planning for their ownfuture, even to the point of“planning paralysis”. Yet, fewthings are surer in life than theneed to take care of our ownhealth and our future healthcare needs. This is at the heartof a decision to become a mem-ber of Westcott Lakes, as manyof you have shared with meover the past year, and this is atthe heart of the new strategiesthat we’d like to share with youin the coming weeks.Please be on the lookout forcommunications in the nearfuture that will provide youwith speciRics of the upcomingmeetings. We will hold two onthe same day, one in themorning and one in the after-noon, to accommodate yourpreference for either time slot.I encourage you to make everyeffort to attend, and I look for-ward to strategizing with you!2 Soaring

Eagle Visionby Dr. Chris Mulrooney, Westcott Lakes CEO and Regional Vice President

Dr. Chris MulrooneyWestcott Lakes CEO andRegional Vice President

dens during the day for a closelook at the Day ButterRly Centerand the Conservatory featuringits annual display of poinsettias.Reservations are to be madewith June Alford. Your depositof $79 is to be sent to KellyTours, Inc., 2788 Hwy. 80,Savannah, GA 31408, or madeonline at www.kellytours.com($2.00 service charge if a credit

card is used) Re: trip #4912.Three meals, snacks on themotor coach, transportation, ac-commodations at the CallawayInn and admission tickets forsights visited are covered in theall-inclusive price of $279.00.As announced at the July14th Low Country Shrimp Boil,reservations are now also opento non-Westcott Lakes mem-

bers (there’s already quite a bitof interest!) SOOOOO get yourreservation in as soon aspossible.For reservations, pleasecontact June Alford atchief@nettally.com or (850)893-5668.Your Westcott Lakes SocialCommittee looks forward toseeing you soon.

3Soaring

Wedding bells have rung forWestcott Lakes! On June24th, member BarbaraJorgenson and Bob Dempseywere married in Stuart, Florida.Bob is returning to Tallahassee,after having served some yearsago as Commissioner of theFlorida Department of LawEnforcement. We extend ourhappiest congratulations toBarbara and Bob and welcomehim into our community.July came in with record-breaking temperatures inTallahassee and recordnumbers of July 4th celebra-tions. The United Way hostedits Rirst July 3rd DowntownGetDown with activities forfamily members of all ages.Independence Day celebrationswere held all over town as wellas in surrounding areas.On July 15th, theTallahassee Quarterback Clubcelebrated its 60th Anniversarywith a roast of legendary FSUfootball coach Bobby Bowden.The capacity crowd at FSU’sUniversity Center Club wasentertained by coaches Mark

Richt, Tom Osborne andTommy and Terry Bowden.Burt Reynolds, Chris Weinke,Ron Simmons and other formerFSU players were also there tohelp with the roast.On July 18th, the PanhandleSeminole Club in nearbyMarianna entertained areamembers of the FSU EmeritusAlumni Society. Members arealumni that graduated fromFSU at least 50 years ago andthey are a vital, fun lovinggroup. Special guests includedWestcott Lakes board memberRuth Bass, a Marianna nativeand her mother Ruth Sherrill.As we look forward to thebeginning of fall on the FloridaState University campus, theCollege of Music hasannounced its 2009-2010Season. Concerts will include:the Symphony Orchestra, thePhilharmonic, Wind Orchestra,Chamber Choir, SymphonicBand, University Singers andFall and Spring Operas. Toobtain information aboutjoining the University MusicalAssociates and participating inthese wonderful evenings, call(850) 644-4744.The FSU AlumniAssociation has announcedthat for each cabin booked forthe Seminole Sea Cruise,beginning October 22nd, asmall replica of the actual 1999National ChampionshipFootball trophy will bepresented. This replica wasproduced for the AlumniAssociation by Mark of

Distinction, the exclusivelicensee for the Coaches’award. During the cruise, therewill also be drawings forautographed footballs andother FSU memorabilia.Along with the excitementthat the beginning of the 2009school year brings, there is thesad news that President T. K.Wetherell will be steppingdown. Dr. Wetherell has beenFSU’s President since January2003 and has been a whirlwindforce of leadership. During histenure, FSU started a medicalschool, lured the AppliedSuperconductivity Center to itsexisting National High Mag-netic Field laboratory andwitnessed $800 million inconstruction of new facilitiesand buildings. Students haveexcelled, and more than anyother President, Wetherell ledthe charge to spotlight FSUhistory and strengthenedschool ties with the SeminoleTribe of Florida. First LadyGinger Wetherell is responsiblefor raising the funds, planningand supervising the buildingand furnishing of the beautifulnew President’s home. As heleaves the ofRice of President,Wetherell plans to continue histeaching as a professor in theCollege of Education. WestcottLakes members, T. K. andGinger, we applaud andappreciate all that you havedone and continue to do forFlorida State University.

Seminole Patchworkby Dr. Betty Lou Joanos

Dr. Betty Lou JoanosDirector of Alumni Relations

4 Soaring

Steve and CarolynShackelford are involvedWestcott Lakes members,serving with various groupsand spreading cheer at eachevent they attend. Most likelyyou already know the Shack-elfords because they have beenvery involved in the FSU andTallahassee communities sincethey moved to the area in 1969.In fact, both Carolyn and Stevereceived degrees from FSU(Carolyn received a Bachelors ofBusiness and Steve a Lawdegree), as did their twodaughters and their oldestgranddaughter. “A secondgranddaughter is lookingforward to her sophomore yearso we are on our 3rd generationof FSU graduates,” says Carolyn.“I could not be more proud!”Carolyn and Steve, who havebeen married for over 53 years,met while both attended theUniversity of Florida inGainesville. Carolyn, who wasraised in Miami, and Steve, whohad grown up in Jacksonville,were brought together by their

last names. “We hadalphabetized assigned seating inour freshman Logic class,” recallsCarolyn. “My maiden name wasShirey, so Steve and I wereseated next to each other. Westarted studying together, andthe rest is history!”After they were married,Carolyn and Steve moved brieRlyto both Jacksonville andPensacola before settling inTallahassee. Carolyn began hercareer with FSU, where shestayed for the next 34 years be-fore retiring as the Assistant VicePresident of Human Resources.Steve, an attorney, retired as theDirector of LaborRelations for the Stateof Florida and is cur-rently an arbitrator. “Iguess you could sayI’m semi-retired,” saysSteve. “I love beingretired,” says Carolyn,who lists activitiessuch as gardening andneedlework amongher favorite hobbies.“Steve has also become

interested in stained glasswork. He has made some ofthe most beautiful pieces Ihave ever seen.” “At this pointin our lives, we really enjoytraveling,” explains Steve. “Welove being near the water, sowe head up to the family lakehome in North Georgia quiteoften to spend time with ourtwo daughters and theirfamilies. Our grandchildrenrange in age from 7 to 29.Needless to say, we always havea great time!”When asked about theirdecision to move to WestcottLakes, Carolyn recalls the oldphrase “Come grow old withme…the best is yet to be!” “Thatphrase really sums it all up forme. I absolutely love thewonderful people who plan onmaking Westcott Lakes theirhome.” “Not to mention the FSUafRiliation and the great staff atWestcott Lakes,” says Steve.The Shackelfords alsoappreciate the value of WestcottLakes. “I really don’t think youcan put a value on being able toview your future with assuranceand peace of mind,” says Carolyn.“It’s priceless.”As the conversation iscoming to an end, Carolyn ex-claims, “Look at that beautifulhummingbird in the backyard!I’m getting my camera!” Thenshe pauses and adds, “This iswhat retirement is all about.Getting to do the things youwant todo – whatever they maybe – whenyou want todo them.”

by Bronwen KrauseMeet Your Neighbors

Steve and Carolyn Shackelford

The Shackelfords with their daughtersand grandchildren

*Photograph by Jo Shoupe

5Soaring

In 1976, Alex Haley publishedRoots, a Rictionalized account ofhis family history going backseven generations to Africa. Untilthen, genealogy was an activitylargely practiced by persons whocould trace their families back tothe MayRlower. Haley’s bookstimulated large numbers ofpeople to try to construct theirfamily trees. Today, genealogy isone of the most rapidly-increasing industries.Westcott Lakes FoundingMember Charles Nam, anexperienced genealogist,introduced members to the basicmethods and sources ofgenealogical research at July’sLife College. He Rirst pointed outthat there is much that can bedone without the beneRit ofinternet access, but that thecomputer has allowed

researchers to Rind much moreinformation and more quickly.Without a computer, onemight obtain oral histories fromrelatives, request census recordsand vital certiRicates fromgovernment agencies, search citydirectories, acquire immigrantpassenger lists and naturalizationrecords from the FederalGovernment, and Rindtombstones in cemeteries. Youcan also travel to places whereancestors formerly lived or writeto archivists in countries whereparents and grandparents camefrom.With a computer, one can turnto the many internet websitesdevoted to genealogicalinformation. Nam said it isamazing how many such sitesexist, some general onesincluding digitized census

schedules for the U.S., Canada andGreat Britain and some morefocused ones such as those re-lated to speciRic ethnic groups orthe Social Security Death Index.Internet access also providesresearch tools to facilitate doingyour genealogy, including familytree templates and guides toRinding relevant sources ofinformation. The most recentdevelopments show how one canuse the search engine “Google” toRind relatives more easily andhow a sample of your DNA canenable matches with relatives youdidn’t even know about.Nam claimed he was onlytouching the tip of thegenealogical iceberg and wasprepared to make otherpresentations that demonstratethe several procedures men-tioned with explicit examples.

Life Collegeby Don Alford, M.D.

Life College Pictures

6 Soaring

T.C. Boyle’s Tortilla Curtain.Viking Press, 1995 (hard-cover); Penguin Books, 1995(paperback)

Tortilla Curtain examines theintersection of two verydifferent couples living inSouthern California. Onecouple, Delaney & Kyra Moss-bacher are wealthy suburban-ites who live in an upscaledevelopment high on the slopesof Topango Canyon outside LosAngeles. The other couple areillegal immigrants from Mexico,living in a jerry-rigged lean-todown in the canyon. America isthe 17-year-old wife of the

much older Candido.The two couples’ lives Rirstintersect when Delaney’s carhits Candido as he darts acrossa grocery parking lot one night.Clearly injured, Delaney offershelp which the frightenedimmigrant refuses.After a few negative eventswhich might, or might not, becaused byMexicanimmigrantsin the area,the Moss-bachers andtheirneighborsgrowconcernedfor theirresidential safety and decide tobuild a wall around thedevelopment. This was once anunthinkable solution to theliberal-thinking Mossbacherbut one he agrees to.While all of this istranspiring in the lives of theafRluent couple, their immigrantcounterparts are scrounging forfood in dumpsters and meetingdaily with numerous otherimmigrants as they try tosecure day work. They meet ata central location whereGringos come to secure labor-

ers for yard work, householdhelp and construction work.When the exchange wherethey gather is closed becausethe number of workers whogather there is deemed to havereached a critical mass wherethey are perceived as unsightlyand threatening, the workersare devastated. They are drivenfurther aRield in order to Rindwork. Their hand-to-mouthexistence becomes even moredire as immigrant turns onimmigrant in search of moneyand food.The book reaches the climaxat Thanksgiving. Candido winsa turkey at the grocery and ashe and his delighted wife lightthe Rire to cook the bird for ananticipated feast, dry Californiawinds whip Rlames up thecanyon. The novel examinesthe guerilla war in the U. S.between the haves and thehave-nots.The book poses questionafter question regardingimmigration, employment,discrimination and socialresponsibility. It compels thereader to form, conRirm or evendispute his moral, social andpolitical viewpoints. As oneother reviewer notes, that is nosmall feat for a work of Riction.

Recommended Readingby Walli Beall

Founders Club MemberWalli Beall

Interested in Reading?Share your thoughts on literature in our Recommended Reading section! For more information,

or to submit a review, please email Charlie Nam at charlesnam2@embarqmail.com.

7Soaring

Glynn Marsh Alam’s MoonWater Madness. Avocet Press,2009 (paperback)If you enjoy readingmysteries and like thesettings to be familiar ones,Moon Water Madness is rightdown your alley. Glynn MarshAlam casts her stories in thesprings, lakes, swamps andenvirons between Tallahasseeand the coast. This is theseventh in a series of mysteriesinvolving the amateur detectiveLuanne Fogarty (whosecharacteristics resemble thoseof the author). Some of theplaces in the story have theirtrue names (e.g., Panacea,Carrabelle) but others haveRictitious ones (e.g., FogartySprings, Moon Island). (Thesetting of an earlier book in theseries is the North Florida Fair.)Luanne is a teacher oflinguistics at the local univer-

sity, and because of her scubadiving skills, serves as anadjunct diver for the countysheriff ’s department. She alsohas a lot of good sense and asharp pair of eyes. Living nearthesprings,she as-sociateswith aneigh-boringolderman(Pasquin), who frequentlytransports her on the waterswith his boat, and with asheriff ’s deputy (Vernon), withwhom she dives into springsand water caves looking forcrime victims and who is also alove interest.In this story, Luanne dealswith members of the Moonfamily who live on or near Moon

Island. An elderly lady(Beatrice Moon) still lives in thebroken-down mansion with oneof her sons (Corwin), his 12-year-old daughter (Sissy) andsome boarders. Beatricefrequently relates how Riftyyears earlier her husbandwalked into the adjacent lakeand never returned. Shrimpboaters (including Corwin andthe boarders) seem to beinvolved in nefarious activitiesand one of the boarders (Patel)disappears. Luanne and Vernondive to look for bodies and tryto detect the culprits.Meanwhile, Luanne isconcerned about Sissy’ssheltered life and aims to con-nect her with the rest of society.Twists and turns in the storykeep the reader’s attention andthe outcome is a set of suc-cesses for Luanne and alteredsituations for the Moon family.

Recommended Readingby Dr. Charles Nam

Acentury ago, Americanbabies could expect to live(on average) 47 years – 48 forgirls and 46 for boys. Back thentheir families were grateful forthat. But how the length of lifehas changed! Today, the averagebaby girl lives to 80 and babyboy to 75. What produced thatrevolution? It was mainly theability to control infectiousdiseases that took a heavy tollon infants and small children.Once that high risk was dimin-ished, the chances were much

better that life could go on.If you got to 65 a centuryago, you could expect maybe 10more years of life. Today, themarvels of medical science andbetter control of our badbehaviors (smoking, poor diets,insufRicient exercise, etc.) haveled to the prospect of 20 moreyears to enjoy family, friendsand the world around you. Infact, if you reach 75, you canlook forward to an average of 12more years, and if you make it to85 you still have quite a few

years left. Becoming a nonage-narian (ages 90-99) orcentenarian is hardly out of thequestion today when you get topost-retirement ages.That is why living at West-cott Lakes is so appealing forour generation of oldsters. Wenot only have exceptional healthcare, extended learning and anincredible living environment tolook forward to, but we can alsoplan on it for years to come.(Source: Data fromtheCDCNationalCenter forHealthStatistics)

Have You Heard?by Dr. Charles Nam

8 Soaring

This newsletter is prepared by Dr. Charles B. Nam, Editor, with substantial assistance from members of the WestcottLakes Newsletter Committee (Dr. Betty Lou Joanos, Don Alford, M.D., Dr. Fanchon Funk and Dr. Jessie Lovano-Kerr)

and other Westcott Lakes members and administration staff, and with design and editorial contributions fromBronwen Krause of the PRAXEIS communications staff. Dick Ambrosius and Stephanie Hinson of PRAXEIS providelogistical and guidance support. The Editor encourages submissions from other members with stories to tell (e.g.,travelogues, book reviews, historical accounts) that would be of interest to the general membership. These and

other communications concerning the newsletter should be sent to charlesnam2@embarqmail.com.

August Calendar of EventsMonday, August 10th

Bridge Club Meeting (1:00 p.m.)This month’s Bridge Club event will be held at the home of Don and June Alford. The address is 1843Miller Landing Rd. Please call 893-5668 or email chief@nettally.com if you’re planning to attend.Tuesday, August 11th

Life Collegesm Series (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)Burt Altman of Strozier Library will talk on Preserving Family Records.Tuesday, August 11th

Second Tuesday Event (4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)Ice Cream Social! Do you have an ice cream maker? If so and you are willing to loan it out for our Aug. 11- 2nd Tuesdays Ice Cream Social, please contact Renee at 645-7110 or rprasek@westcottlakes.org.To R.S.V.P. for an event, call the Welcome Center at (850) 645-7110. For more information on Westcott

Lakes events, visit our website at www.westcottlakes.org/events, or give us a call.

®

3800 Esplanade WaySuite 180

Tallahassee, FL 323111-866-510-1515 (Toll-Free)

www.westcottlakes.org